Final answer:
An individual inherits a predisposition for schizophrenia, not the condition itself, as both genetic vulnerability and environmental factors contribute to the disease's expression. A study indicated that adoptees with high genetic risk are more likely to develop schizophrenia in disturbed environments compared to healthier ones.
Step-by-step explanation:
An individual does not inherit schizophrenia but instead inherits a predisposition for becoming schizophrenic. This is based on a study by Tienari and colleagues from 2004 which highlighted the role of both genetic factors and environmental stress in the development of schizophrenia.
The study found that adoptees with high genetic risk were significantly more likely to develop schizophrenia if they were raised in disturbed family environments. In contrast, even with a high genetic risk, those raised in a healthier environment had markedly lower incidences of schizophrenia.
This underscores the concept that a genetic disorder like schizophrenia does not fully manifest based on genes alone; environmental factors play a substantial role in the disease's expression.
Schizophrenia is associated with a malfunctioning of dopaminergic neurons, which may also involve issues with glutamate signaling. Understanding these biochemical pathways is part of the broader effort to understand how cells of the nervous system function and communicate. Treatment generally involves the use of antipsychotic medications that target dopamine receptors.